I don’t know why, but I’ve always loved the idea of manatees. I even picked Save the Manatees for my trailer’s Florida license plate. I tried to see some last winter, but the unseasonable cold had chased them out to the Gulf and my niece and I came up empty in Crystal River. When friends camping two hours south said they’d kayaked with manatees this last week, I realized I might have a shot. I was heading south anyways to meet up with some RVing buds and the park with the manatees was literally on the way home. I practiced folding and unfolding my new Oru Kayak and then loaded it into the car, along with paddle, PFD (with whistle attached), and booties.
I woke up at 5:30AM today (thanks, end of daylight savings time) and checked the weather forecast. Rain? What??? I was so bummed. I ate breakfast, packed up, and checked out of the hotel, and decided to head for Blue Spring State Park anyways. It rained on me when I stopped at the ATM, and it was still spitting as I paid the $4 fee at the park entrance. I drove down to the boat dock and sat in the car looking at the clouds scudding overhead. And then I thought, I’m already here, I’m gonna go for it. If I get wet, well, it’s 77F so I’m not going to freeze.
I unloaded the kayak and origami’d it into kayak shape, then carried it down to the sandy beach and launched it. I should have christened it, as it was the first time it’s been in water other than the pool back in Gainesville, but I don’t have a good name yet so I skipped that part. It did feel good as I paddled around and got used to how it handled. And, oh, wow, is it easier to paddle than my almost-ex-inflatable kayak! After the kayak check, I headed over to the manatee spot.
Look, there are manatees! Mama manatee and baby manatee!
Three manatees in a row! Same mama and baby with a friend!
Manatees resting on the sandy bottom!
I would have had a photo of the one who surfaced about a foot away from me but I didn’t want to scare it away so I just stayed really still. Also, manatees are BIG and I didn’t want that one to flip turn and maybe hit my kayak.
It was SO COOL to float among the manatees. They are graceful and calm and it was like a little moving meditation thing to have them swim by me. For about 15 minutes, it was just me and them on/in the water and it was magical. One more thing checked off my bucket list, too.
I do not want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
Diane Ackerman
We saw the manatees about 15 years ago at Crystal Springs when we took our then-young kids and I LOVED it! But being in the water with them looks magical. Another bucket list item for me near there is fossil-hunting in one of those rivers near there…there are guided tours.
So happy for you Annie. Well done for keeping going and getting the prize xx
Thanks, Luise! Love your vacay photos at the beach, kites, etc. looks like it was loads of fun!
Love the kayak. The photos look as peaceful and serene as you described.
So glad you didn’t let the rain stop you. Beautiful manatees and beautiful kayak! We ran into a couple folding up there Orus when we arrived at Blue Springs, the gal just happened to be a biologist and said she feels totally safe kayaking in gator filled water with her Oru. That gave me piece of mind. Enjoy your Oru and we’d love to kayak with you again sometime.
I got several comments and questions, mostly “is that the folding kayak?” – sort of like an Alto for kayaks 🙂 Thanks for the biologist’s take on Orus and gators, that helps my peace of mind, too!